Shipping tray unloading apparatus



April 21, 1953 E. ARDELL SHIPPING TRAY UNLOADING APPARATUS Filed Sept.8, 1949 INVENTOR. EDGAR ARDELL 9 Sheets-Sheet l l-l/S A TTORNEYS April21, 1953 Filed Sept. 8, 1949 E. ARDELL 2,635,773

SHIPPING TRAY UNLOADING APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

EEG/4F? ARDELL /-//5 A TTURNEYJ Ap 21, 1953 E. ARDELL 2,635,773

SHIPPING TRAY UNLOADING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 8, 1949 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 ZINVENTOR. ,i EDGAR ARDELL 19/5 A TTORNEYS April 21, 1953 ARDELL SHIPPINGTRAY UNLOADING APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 8, 1949 5 u m5 0MN 0 ER fl A a m w A ril 21, 1953 E. ARDELL 2,635,773

SHIPPING TRAY UNLOADING APPARATUS Filed Sept; 8, 1949 9 Sheets-Sheet 7INVENTOR. EDGAR A RDEL L Y MJM;

' H/ 5 ATTORNEYS April 21, 1953 E. ARDELL SHIPPING TRAY UNLOADINGAPPARATUS '9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 8, 1949 0 T 9 5 J Iv l 4/- V m MW M B 4 0 {U A. 7 4 0 MW w Patented Apr. 21, 1953 SHIPPING TRAYUNLOADING APPARATUS- Edgar Ardell, Middletown, Conn., assignor toEmliart Manufacturing Company, a corpora tion of Delaware ApplicationSeptember 8, 1949, Serial No. 114,539

17 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for removing and unloading articlesfrom shipping cases or trays. More particularly, it relates to apparatusfor unloading bottles, or the like, from trays which are not as tall asthe bottles so that the necks of the bottles project above the tops ofthe trays.

In the soft drink industry, it is customary to use returnable bottleswhich are distributed to the trade in trays, usually made of wood, butsometimes of fiber board or corrugated board, and having individualcells for the bottles. These trays conventionally hold 24 bottles each,and large quantities of such trays of empty bottles are received dailyat the bottling plant. The first step in the processing of the bottlesprior to refilling is their removal from the trays.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an apparatuswhich will unload the bottles from such trays with the greatest possiblerapidity and without damaging the bottles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this kindwhich will operate entirely automatically without requiring theattention of an operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle unloadingapparatus of this kind in which the bottles remain at and leave theapparatus at substantially the same level at which they enter it.

The invention will be described as embodied in a machine for removingthe bottles from Coca- Cola trays having 24 cells arranged in four rowsof six each. For an understanding of the invention attention is directedto the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings illustrating this apparatus. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section of the unloadingapparatus taken on a plane indicated by line [-1 of Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 2 is a similar section taken on a plane in the rear of the plane ofFig. 1 and indicated by line 2-2 of Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on broken line 3-3 of Fig.2 and Fig. 1;

Fig. 3a is a sectional detail taken on line 3a-3a of Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a section similar to that of Fig. 3 taken on the planeindicated by line 5-4 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged diagrammatic views illustrating certain partsshown in Fig. 4 in (lif ferent positions, these views when taken together with Figs. 1, 4, 8, 9 and 10 illustrating certain steps ofoperation of the apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a view of certain parts shown in Fig. 4 in diiferent positionsand drawn to an enlarged scale;

Fig. 8a is a detail elevation looking from the right of Fig. 8 and drawnto a smaller scale;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view similar to Figs. 6 and '7 showing anotherposition of the parts;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line i0ill of Fig. 1showing the charge of bottles released by the. gripper head and ready tobe removed;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic View drawn to a smaller scale showing certainparts of Fig. 1 in different positions;

Fig. 12 is a detail section taken on line I2l2 of Fi 2;

Fig. 13 is another detail section taken on line |3--l3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 14 is a further detail section taken. on line i4l4 of Figs. 2 and15; and

Fig. 15 is a section taken on line Iii-J5 of Fig. 14.

The general plan of the apparatus illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings will be set forth, following with a description of the details.

Referring to Fig. 1, the trays filled with 24 bottles each enter themachine on a supply conveyer (not shown), the tray at position Tl beingon this conveyer. The supply conveyer may be of the gravity, or anysuitable type, which urges tray Tl against a tray at the second positionT2 on a tray feeding or timing device indicated generally by referencenumeral i. Feeding device I holds back the line of trays and feeds themforward one at a time at the proper time to be received on a tray timingconveyer indicated generally by reference numeral 2, the tray atposition T3 being on this conveyer.

Timing conveyer 2 operates to time the trays to a flight conveyer whichis indicated gen erally by reference numeral 3. Flight conveyer 3 hasthe double function of feeding the filled trays forward to position themat position T3 beneath (bottle necks within) a stationary bottle gripperhead, indicated generally by numeral 4, and of advancing the bottles,after the case has been removed from them, onto a bottle receiving table5 which has been shown as an off-bearing conveyer.

Tray feeding device I, case timing conveyer 2 and bottle receiving tableor conveyer 5 are arranged at the same level. Also arranged atsubstantially this same level between case feeding conveyer 2 and bottlereceiving table 5, that is, directly beneath the gripper head 4, thereis a horizontally and laterally shiftable platen 6. Platen 6 serves bothto support the filled tray while the bottles are gripped by their necksand suspended from gripper head 4, and also to support the bottles afterthe tray has been removed from them.

In order to permit removal of the tray from the suspended bottles platen6 is first lowered slightly and then retracted laterally as shown, forexample, in Figs. 6 and 7, and to support the tray during removal of theplaten a tray remover which is indicated generally by reference numeralI, and which comprises two parallel edgewise mounted plates 8, is movedupwardly beneath platen 6, these plates passing through two narrow slots9 in the platen so that their upper edges are at the levelof the top ofthe platen to support the case when the platen is retracted. Fig. 6shows the parts in this position and with th bottles gripped by gripperhead 4.

The charge of bottles remains suspended from gripper head t while platen6 is lowered and shifted to the right as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, andwhile the tray remover l is lowered as shown in Fig. 8, and until theplaten is returned beneath the bottles, whereupon gripper head 3releases them and they drop onto the platen as shown in Fig. 10. Uponlowering the tray to position T5 (shown dotted in Fig. 4) the tray isejected from the machine by means of a discharge conveyer Hi. The chargeof bottles on platen 6 (Fig. 10) is moved onto the receiving table orconveyer 5 by a step movement of flight conveyer 3, (see also Fig. 1),which simultaneously advances the next succeeding filled tray fromposition T3 to position T4 beneath gripper head 4.

The description of the various sections of the apparatus in detail willnow be taken up.

Power for operating the machine is supplied by means of an electricmotor I l (Figs. 2 and 3) which is connected by means of an endless beltl2 to a speed-reducing gear box l3 having a slow speed output shaft l4.On shaft M is a sprocket l5 which, however, is driven from shaft l4through a disconnecting clutch it, which is operated by a handle lllocated at the front side of the machine and mounted on the end of arock shaft l8.

Sprocket i5 drives the main or lower cam shaft is of the machine througha chain 26 and a suitable sprocket keyed to shaft l9. Power foroperating tray timing conveyer 2, tray discharge conveyer l0 and trayfeeding device I is derived from shaft 59. For this purpose a shorttransverse shaft 2i (Fig. 3) is operatively connected with shaft itthrough bevel gearing 22. Parallel to shaft 2i is a longer shaft 23which is driven from shaft 2! by means of a chain 24 and suitablesprockets.

Above and between'shafts 2| and 23, there is a third parallel shaft 25(Fig. 2) which is driven from shaft 23 by means of a chain 26 andsuitable sprockets. Near the right end of this shaft (Fig. 3) there is asprocket 21 carrying a chain 28 which extends toward the right or intakeend of the machine (Fig. 2) and drives a shaft 29 which is the operatingshaft of the tray feeding or timing device I. Shaft 29 is a short shaftjournaled in the opposite sides of a housing 36) which is part of theapparatus frame and located on the further side of tray feeding deviceI, as viewed in '4 Figs. 1 and 2. The walls of housing 36 may beregarded as extensions (approximately) of the front wall 3! and aninwardly spaced vertical web 32 of the machine frame (Fig. 3).

The trays are fed along the supply conveyer (not shown) to the feedingor timing device I, and the front end of each case, arriving at a stoproller 33, is momentarily arrested at the proper instant to time it withone of the pairs of lugs on tray timing conveyer 2, to be describedpres-- ently. The tray is lifted over stop roller 33 by the tilting of asection 36 of belt conveyer. This belt conveyer section is pivoted at 35to the machine frame, and when the left hand end is raised, serves topropel the tray over the stop roller.

The belt of conveyer M is operated by means of a chain 36 which istrained around a large sprocket on operating shaft 29. The timingmechanism of tray feeding device is operated by means of a chain 37 alsodriven from shaft 29. The details of the construction and operation ofthis tray feeding or timing device are set forth in U. S. Patent No.2,324,401, granted July 13, 1943, to Wallace D. Kimball and assigned tothe same assignee as the present application.

The tray timing conveyer and spacer 2 comprises a pair of spaced endlesschains 38 which carry two sets of tray pushing and spacing lugs 39 and40 as shown in Fig. l. Chains 38 support the weight of the tray as it ismoved from feeding device I and carried toward the platen 5, thehorizontal portions of these chains running on two parallel railssupported on cross bars attached to the machine frame. Rails ii aremounted in longitudinal slots in a fiat plate t2, the forward end ofwhich is curved downwardly as shown in Fig. l.

The rear end of plate 42 curves upwardly to the level of the surface ofchains 38 and serves as a scuff plate to carry the cases between theleft end of these chains and platen E. The function of plate 42, otherthan the scuff plate portion of it, is to prevent sections of the traybottoms which may have become loosened, from becoming jammed in theoperating parts of the machine.

Chains 38 are supported at their left ends on a spool sprocket member 43(Fig. 3) which carries two suitably spaced sprockets M for chains 38 anda driving sprocket 45. A short chain 36 connects sprockets 45 with asmaller sprocket on shaft 25, previously mentioned. Spool sprocket 43rotates on a fixed transverse shaft M. At the right end of plate 42chains 38 pass around idler sprockets 48 (Fig. 1). Also, the necessaryidler sprockets 49 and 50 for the lower reaches of chains 38 areprovided, sprockets 59 being mounted for rotation on clutch controlshaft l8, and sprockets 50 being suitably mounted to serve as take-upsprockets.

The discharge or ejecting conveyer In (Fig. 4) comprises a pair ofwidely spaced endless chains 5| (Figs; 1 and 5) which are mounted totravel on the opposite sides of tray remover 7 when it is in itslowermost position as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. These two chains have asingle pair of inwardly and horizontally projecting lugs 52 which engagethe rear of the tray at position T5 and slide the tray along the upperedges of plates 8 onto any suitable off-bearing conveyer for the trayssuch as roller conveyer 53 (Fig. 5). which, it will be understood, is ofthe gravity type. Conveyer chains 5| are trained around sprockets on adriven shaft 54 and also around outwardly placed idler sprockets 55(Fig. 5) which are bracket mounted. Shaft 54 is driven from shaft 23(Fig. 3) by means of a short chain 56, a short shaft 51 and bevelgearing 58.

Flight conveyer 3, which operates simultaneously to position a filledcase on platen 6 and moves the preceding charge of bottles off of theplaten onto conveyer 5, comprises a pair of long endless chains 58between which extend a series of flight bars fill, arranged inappropriately spaced relation throughout the length of the chains. Theseflight bars are each provided with a series of downward projections orextensions (Figs. 3 and 4), one for each of the four rows of bottles soas to push the bottles from their midsections downward to preventoverturning. Flight chains 53 are mounted at the front and rear of thestationary bottle gripper head 4 (Figs. 3 and 4), these chains beingtrained around a pair of driving sprockets 6! (Fig. 1) and a series ofappropriately placed idler sprockets 62. The two lowermost sets of idlersprockets 62 are positioned at the opposite ends of two straighthorizontal channe1 sections 63 so as to maintain the lower reaches ofchains 55 substantially in a horizontal plane while the flight bars aremoving the group of bottles and the filled case respectively.

It will be understood that endless conveyer 36 of tray feeding device I,conveyor chains 38 of tray timing conveyer 2, and tray ejecting conveyerchains 5| are operated continuously at uniform speed. Flight chains 59,however, of flight conveyer 3 are operated intermittently, that is, witha step-by-step motion so as to advance these chains the distance betweenthe two adjacent flight bars 69 at each movement.

Ihe mechanism for deriving this intermittent drive is shown moreparticularly in Figs. 2, 4 and 13. A substantially heart-shaped cam 64is mounted on the main or lower cam shaft is and rotates continuouslywith this shaft. The edge of this cam engages upper and lower rollers 65which project from one face of a vertically niovable rack bar 56. Thelower end of this bar is slotted as shown in Fig. and is guided by shaftit. The upper end of rack bar 6 5 has a series of rack teeth 8'! whichdrive the teeth of a gear 68.

Gear 53 is keyed to a sleeve 69 which rotates on a fixed shaft iiiextending transversely of the machine. In order to maintain rack teeth5? and gear E38 in engagement a keeper member H is used. This has ahorizontal extension 12 (Fig. 2) having a bearing surrounding sleeve 59,the rear face of bar (it having sliding contact with the inner verticalsurface of keeper H.

Turning freely on sleeve till just to the right of bearing extension 52of the keeper member there is a large sprocket '53 which is connected bymeans of a chain i i with a smaller sprocket ?5 on a shaft it? which isthe shaft on which driving sprocket iii for the flight chains 59 ismounted. Sprocket 15, however, is connected to shaft '16 through athrow-out clutch ll operated by handle iii. By throwing out this clutchthe position of light cars til can be manually adjusted by means of ahand wheel 18' (Fig. 3).

The 1arge sprocket it is driven by the oscillating gear t8 and sleeve 69by means of a ratchet drive. This drive comprises a hub it which iskeyed to sleeve (39 and which has an arm Bil on the side of which adriving dog 3! is pivoted. Dog 6! engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel82 mounted on the hub of large sprocket l3. Ratchet wheel 82 has fourteeth, 99 degrees apart, and the arrangement of cam 64 and the drivingconnections described is such that gear 58 is oscillated through theangle of 90 degrees at each 6. stroke of rack bar 66. The contour of cam64 is such as to impart harmonic motion to rack bar 66 so that flightchains 59 also move with harmonic motion, thereby starting and stoppingthe filled cases and the group of bottles removed from the previous casegently and quietly.

The mechanism of the stationary bottle gripper head 4 will now bedescribed, this mechanism being shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 4, 8and 14. Mounted for rocking movement in the two end frames of gripperhead 4 there are a series of closely spaced parallel rock shafts 83 and84. These shafts are arranged in pairs, each alternate shaft 33 beingpaired with an intermediate shaft 84. The shafts of each pair areoperatively connected together at their ends for rocking movement inopposite directions by gear groups 85 at one end and 86 and 81 at theopposite end. The arrangement of this gearing is such that by rockingonly the first and fifth shafts 83 from the left of Figs. 14 15, theentire four pairs of shafts are actuated.

The central portions of shafts 83 and 84 are rectangular in crosssection as shown in Figs. 8 and l, and mounted on shafts 83 are sets ofspring fingers 88, while on shafts 84 are similar but oppositelydirected spring fingers 89. There are six pairs of fingers 88 and 89 oneach pair of shafts 83 and fi l, one pair of fingers for each of the sixbottles of a row, as can be seen in 1. The lower ends of each of fingers88 and 89 are provide-d with resilient pads or cushions 9G appropriatelyformed at their lower ends to grip the opposite sides of the bottlenecks as shown in Fig. '7.

The actuation of the first and fifth shafts B3 in order to cause thefingers to grip or release the group of bottles simultaneously is shownin Figs. 14, 15 and 2. This includes two horizontally shiftable rods 9i, one at each end of gripper head 4, both of these rods beingoperatively connected to both ends of the first and fifth rock shafts83. This connection is by means of short levers 92 which are forked attheir upper ends to receive rods 91, these levers being fixed to thefirst and fifth rock shafts 83 and connected to rods 91 through springmounted collars shown in Figs. 14 and 15.

Sleeves 9! are mounted for sliding movement in the frame of the gripperhead and are biased in the direction to hold the bottle gripping fingersi355 and 89 open, by means of a compression spring 93. Rods Eli areoperated in the opposite direction to grip the bottles by means of asleeve rock shaft M (Figs. 2 and 4) having two short arms 95 inengagement with the ends of the respective rods 95. Sleeve rock shaft 94is actuated by means of a cam 36 on an upper cam shaft 9'! (Figs. 2 andt). Cam shaft 9'! is parallel with the lower or main cam shaft i9 and isdriven in the same direction and at the same speed as this shaft bymeans of an endless chain 98.

Cam 3-; engages a roller 99 on a slotted yoke liiii which is guided byshaft 9: and which is operatively connected at its upper end by means ofa link iili to an actuating arm I02 extending to sleeve rock shaft 94.

The platen 6 has two movements during its operation, first a loweringmovement and then a lateral retracting movement. The mechanism forimparting these movements is shown in detail in Fig. 12 and also inFigs. 2, 4 and 5. Platen 8 is mounted on the end of an arm I03 whichprojects forwardly and forms a part of a rectangular carriage I04 (Fig.5) having two pairs of rollers or wheels I05, one at each corner.Rollers I05 are received in two oppositely facing parallel channelmembers I06 which form a part of a pivoted supporting structure forcarriage I04.

Channel bars I06 are tied together by means of a rugged cross memberIfll having a central arm I08 projecting upwardly at approximately 45degrees (Fig. 12). Channels I06 are tied together to form a rigidstructure by means of a shaft I09 which is firmly secured to the lowersides of channels I06 by means of brackets IIO. Shaft I09 is supportedfor rocking movement at its ends by brackets which are secured to theframe of the apparatus (Fig. 2).

The supporting structure I 06, I? referred to has two means of supporton the frame of the machine; one is the pivot shaft I09 and the other isthe 45 angle bracket I08 which at its upper end is provided with tworollers III, one on each side (Fig. 2) which rest respectively upon twolowering and raising cams II 2, these cams being fixed on the upper camshaft 9'7.

When rollers III are on the upward portions of cams II2 (Fig. 12),structure I06, I07, carriage I00 and platen 6 are held in an upper andhorizontal position where platen 6 is ready to receive a filled casefrom timing conveyer 2. When cam shaft 91 revolves and rollers IIIdescend to the lower portion of cams II2, the entire assembly is tiltedabout pivot shaft I09 lowering platen 6 to the dotted position which isshown in various figures. This occurs during the retraction and returnmovements of the platen in order that the platen may free itself fromthe bottom of the filled case resting on the tray remover in the firstmovement and clear the bottoms of the suspended bottles on the secondmovement.

The retracting and return movements of platen carriage I04 are caused bya platen carriage cam II 3 which is keyed to main cam shaft I0 (Figs. 2and 12). The connection between cam II 3 and platen carriage I04 is bymeans of an upright forked lever H4 of rugged construction, this leverbeing forked at its lower end and the lower ends of these forks mountedfor rocking movement on a fixed shaft I I 5 secured to the machineframe. A cam follower roller IIB is mounted for rotation on a shaftwhich is mounted on one of the legs of forked lever II I (Fig. 2) andprojects horizontally between these two legs.

The upper end of forked lever H6 is connected to platen carriage I04 bymeans of a short adjustable link II I (Fig. 5), this link beingconnected to a pivoted cross member IIB which extends between the sidesof carriage I05. A heavy tension spring (not shown), connected at oneend to forked lever H4 and at the opposite end to the machine frame,maintains cam follower roller II6 against the surface of cam IIS andproduces the return or outward movement of the platen carriage. It willbe understood that the action of cam I I3 is to retract carriage I0 3after cams II2 have lowered platen 6 to the dotted position, the extentof the retracting movement being shown, for example, in Fig. 8.

Coming now to the mechanism for operating tray remover I, it has beenstated that this device includes two parallel edgewise mounted plates 8,the upper edges of which are in the same horizontal plane, platen 6being slotted (Fig. 5) so that when the platen is lowered as justdescribed, plates 8 will extend through the slots 9 to support the traywhile the platen is retracted, and will thereafter lower the tray awayfrom the 8 charge of suspended bottles. Plates 8 extend upwardly from abottom plate II9 (Fig. 1) with which they may conveniently be madeintegral.

Bottom plate H9 is mounted in fixed position at the upper ends of twoparallel vertically movable rods I20 which are arranged to slide inbearings I2I in the apparatus frame. The lower ends of rods I20 areconnected together by a cross bar I22, to which is pivoted ashackle-type link I23. The upper end of this link is connected to theleft end of an operating lever I24 (Fig. 4). Lever I24 pivots on shaftII5 between the two legs of the forked lever I I4 which retracts theplaten (Fig. 2). Lever i2 3 has an upward extension I25 at the upper endof which a roller I26 is mounted, this roller cooperating with a cam I21which operates to lift and lower tray remover I. Cam I21 is fixed onmain cam shaft I9 adjacent cam I I3 (Fig. 2).

Cooperating with tray remover I in taking the tray off from thesuspended bottles is a tray stripping mechanism shown more particularlyin Figs. 8 and 8a, with parts thereof also illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and4. This mechanism comprises a series of fiveparallel vertical plates I28secured together so that they will operate as a unit and mounted forvertical sliding movement in the structure of the gripper head 4. Thelower edges of these plates are in the same horizontal plane and serveto engage the top of the tray (Fig. 8) and push it downwardly as trayremover I descends so as to force the tray free of the bottles shlouldany of the bottles tend to stick in their ce .s.

The five plates I20 are tied together at their upper ends by means oftwo rods I29 and spacing collars I30 which separate the respectiveplates. During their clown and up movement, plates I28 are guidedbetween spaced longitudinally mounted angle members I3I. These anglebars are mounted on the frame of gripper head I just below the ends ofthe bottle gripping fingers 88, 89. The vertical portions of anglemembers I3I guide the stripper plates I28 and the horizontal portions ofthese angle members serve to guide the necks of the bottles in the fourrows into position between the bottle gripping fingers.

For this reason the forward ends of the horizontal portions of anglemembers I3I are pointed. as shown in Fig. 3a, and in order to preventthe bottles from being caught on the spaced points I32 of these members,which are separated by the thickness of the stripper plates I28, thinauxiliary guides I33 having rounded or pointed "ends are mounted aheadof each pair of angle plates I3I in line with the stripper plate guidingsurfaces. These auxiliary guides I 33 are triangular in side view andtaper to a sharp point, as shown in Fig. 1, with gently upwardly slopingedges, so as to remove any debris such as paper napkins, etc. which theinspector may have failed to remove from the trays before they reach themachine.

The stripper plate structure bound together by tie rods I22 is guided ateach end of gripper head 4 as shown in Fig. 1 by means of two smallrollers I34 in order to reduce friction. These rollers cooperate withthe edges of the two olates I28 which are next to the outside plates andare somewhat thicker than the remaining stripper plates (Fig. 8). Thetwo outside plates and the center stripper plate are cut awayupwardlyfrom about their centers in order to reduce weight, and the entirestripper plate structure is suspended by 9 four tension springs I35 topartially counterbalance its weight.

The stripper plate structure is moved up and down by mechanism which isassociated with the two plates I28 which are next to the outside plates.These two plates are not cut away but extend upwardly as shown in Fig.8a, being slotted vertically as shown at I36 to provide clearance for ahorizontal stripper operating shaft I3I. On each side of shaft I31 aretwo short crank shafts I38. These have cranks I39 at each end so thateach shaft has two cranks.

Crank shafts I38 are geared to operating shaft I31 by means of a centraldriving gear I40 on shaft I31 and two smaller gears I4I one on each ofthe respective shafts I38. Cranks I39 are set parallel with one anotherand rotate in unison. Each of these cranks has a crank pin I42 whichoperates in a horizontal slot I43, there being two of these slots ineach of the two plates I28 which are next to the outside plates. Toprovide greater crank pin bearing area slots I43 are preferablyreenforced as indicated in Figs. 8 and 8a.

From this construction, it will be understood that when cranks I39 arein their lower position as shown in Figs. 8 and 8a the stripper plateI28 will be in their lower position, and when cranks I39 are rotatedsimultaneously through an angle of 180 to their upper position, thestripper plates will be raised to their upper position, as shown,

for example, in Figs. 1 and 6.

Operating shaft I37 is oscillated to actuate the cranks I39 as justdescribed, This oscillating movement is derived from a gear segment I44whose teeth mesh with those of a gear I45 on the rear end of shaft I31(Figs. 8 and 2). Gear segment M4 has a hub I46 which pivots onstationary shaft 'IB just to the left of rack bar 66 and gear 68 (Fig.4). On the lower side of hub I 45 there is a short arm I41 on the lowerend of which is mounted a r011er Hi8 which engages in the groove of acylinder cam I49 (Fig. 2), this cam being keyed to upper cam shaft 91.

Referring to Fig. 1, device IE is a debris detector. The trays of emptybottles are often returned to the bottling plant with various articlesof debris in between or beneath the bottles, such, for example, as wadsof paper napkins, drinking straws, etc. The trays as they pass along aconveyer after being removed from the delivery truck are inspected forthe purpose of removing such articles. Detector I50 operates to stop thedriving motor II should articles of this sort be left by the inspector.

' Device I50 consists of a horizontal plate which is pivoted at II tothe upper end of a fixed post, and projecting downwardly from suchhorizontal plate there is a series of thin parallel plates I52, oneofthese plates being positioned between each two adjacent rows of bottles.The lower edges of these plates are curved as shown and the device as awhole is supported by means of an adjustable stop screw 153 so that thelower surface of the horizontal plate just clears the tops of thebottles. An article of any substantial size which rests on the casepartition between any two rows of bottles will lift detectorififl some.-what; also, if any bottle does not stand upright in its cell, or israised above the bottom of the tray by some object beneath it, this willalso lift the detector. Such movement moves a long vertical arm I54fixed to the pivot shaft and this movement releases the actuating leverI55 of a switch I56 which is connected-in the control cir- 10 cult, ofdriving motor I l." The circuit is thereby opened and the motor stopped.

A complete cycle o'f'operation of the apparatus will now be reviewed asfollows. Assuming that a tray filled with bottles has just been advancedby flight conveyer 3 to the position shown in Fig. l beneath gripperhead i, the tray rests on a series of parallel ridges I51 which extendlengthwise of platen 6 and which later on serve to receive the bottlesbetween them after the tray has been removed, and maintain the bottlesin rows as they are moved off of the platen.

The tops of ridges I5! are at the elevation shown in Figs. 1 and 4 (andin Fig. 6, dotted) which is at the same level as the left end of plate42 over which the filled case is delivered to the platen. Allowing forthe thickness of the bottom of the tray and the height of the bottles,the bottle tops will be at the elevation shown in Fig. 4. and in dottedlines in Fig. 6, which is above the bottle gripping position of thegripper head of the bottle gripping fingers. These gripping fingers,however, are in'their released or open position as shown in Fig. l.

The first step in the cycle of operation of the machine is the raisingof bottle remover l by its operating cam I2? until the height of theupper edges of plates 8 is at a level which, if the tray were resting onit, the bottoms of the bottles in the tray would be about s or A of aninch above the bottle supporting surface I58 of the platen, on which thebottles will rest after the tray has been removed. The bottle supportingsurface of the platen is constituted of the flat areas between ridgesI57. This position of plates 8 of the case remover is indicated indotted lines in Fig. 4. and in full lines in Fig. 6, and depends on thethickness of the tray bottom.

Following the arrival of tray remover I in the position just described,platen 6 is tilted downwardly by the operation of the pair of cams IIZ,the platen supporting structure pivoting about shaft I 39 until theplaten surface I58 has lowered from the horizontal, dotted position ofFig. 6 to the tilted, full line position. This lowers the filled caseslightly and it rests upon the upper edges of plates 8. The bottlegripping fingers 88, 89 are then actuated to grip the bottles (Fig. 6)and platen 6 is retracted to the right by the action of cam M3 to theposition shown in Fig. '7.

As soon as the bottles are engaged by the grippers, tray remover Icommences to lower "to the position shown in Fig. 9 where the tray inposition T5 is in th path of fingers 52 of discharge conveyer chains 5|.The bottles are left suspended from the gripping devices of gripper head4.

Commencing somewhat in advance of this downward movement of tray remover"I, stripping plates I28 move downward from their upper position shownin Fig. 6 and engage the top of the tray and the partitions as shown inFig. '7, which position these plates occupy at about the time trayremover I commences its downward movement. Stripper plates I23 continuedownward simultaneously with tray remover l to the position shown inFig. 8 where the top of the tray is substantially clear of the bottomsof the bottles.

During the latter part of the downward movemerit of tray remover -'Iplaten 6 starts its return movement from the full line position of Fig,9 towards the dotted line position. After reaching the dottedlin eposition the pair of cams H2 again tilt the platen carriage structureraising the platen until its bottle supporting surface I58 rises towithin the s to of an inch of the bottoms of the bottles suspended fromthe grip per head, the extent of the bottle drop thus being madesubstantially negligible. Then the gripping fingers 8B, 89 are actuatedto release the bottles onto platen as shown in Fig. 10. Thereupon, astep movement of flight conveyer 3 comrnences and one of the flight bars(it pushes the bottles along the platen surface R58 between guidingridges I51 off of the platen and onto receiving table or conveyer 5. Atthe same time a succeeding flight bar cs advances a new filled case fromposition T3 to position T4 on the platen, after which the cycle repeats.

The case feeding device I is tripped at about the time that flightconveyer 3 commences to move. Belt as of feeding device i operatesrapidly, and quickly advances the case at position T2 (Fig. 1) towardstray timing conveyer 2 and the front of this tray may contact the twospacing lugs ii of chains 38 (Fig. 11). These lugs hold the front ofthis tray spaced from the rear of tray T3 so that the downward movingflight bar 60 shown in Fig. 11 can descend behind tray T3. Timingconveyer chains 38 advance continuously and slowly but are so timed withrespect to the flight bar til as to position the rear of tray T3 so thatthe flight bar, in its descent, will clear the tops of the bottles inthis tray. It will be understood that the trays and bottles shown inFig. 11 are in motion, this figure indicating the position of the partsjust as flight bar 69 is clearing the tops of the bottles in tray T3,and the bottles on platen 6 having just commenced to move towardsoif-bearing conveyer by which the bottles may be delivered, for example,to a washing or soaking apparatus.

This invention has been described in detail in connection with oneparticular embodiment thereof. It will be understood that otherembodiments which include various changes in the construction andarrangement of the various parts of the apparatus may be made withoutdeviating from the spirit of the invention or exceeding its scope as setforth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for unloading articles from shipping cases, a stationarygripper head having grippers constructed and arranged to releasablysupport a charge of articles suspended therefrom, a shiftable platenconstructed and arranged to serve at onetime as a support for a trayfilled with articles to present said articles to the gripper head forsupport thereby, and to serve at another time as a support for thecharge of articles removed from the tray, mechanism operable to shiftsaid platen to a position beneath said gripper head, means for feedingonto said platen a tray filled with articles, means for actuating saidgrippers to support said articles, said shifting mechanism thereafteroperating to withdraw said platen from beneath said gripper head,mechanism operating during said withdrawal to receive and remove theempty tray, said shifting mechanism thereupon returning said platen toposition beneath said gripper head, means for actuating said grippers torelease the articles onto said platen, and means for removing thearticles from the platen.

2. In an apparatus for unloading articles from shipping trays, astationary article-gripper head constructed and arranged to releasablysupport a charge of articles suspended therefrom, a platen constructedand arranged to support a ,tray filled with articles to present saidarticles to the gripper head for support thereby, means for retractingsaid platen from beneath said tray to allow removal of the tray from thesuspended articles, means for removing said tray while the platen isretracted, means for returnin the platen beneath the gripper head toreceive the articles therefrom, and means for simultaneously removingthe charge of articles from the platen and advancing a succeeding filledtray onto said platen.

3. An apparatus for unloading articles from shipping trays comprising anarticle receiving table, a stationary gripper head constructed andarranged to releasably support a charge of articles suspended therefromwith the bottoms thereof at approximately the level of said table, aplaten retractable laterally at the same level, means to advance afilled tray onto said platen, a tray remover constructed and arranged tosupport said tray to permit the retracting of said platen, means forraising said tray remover to a level advancing the bottom of the tray onthe platen, means for retracting the platen leaving the tray resting onthe tray remover, means for actuating said gripper head to grip andsupport the charge of articles in said tray, means for lowering saidtray remover to remove the tray from the suspended charge of articles,means for returning the platen beneath said charge of articies, meansfor actuating the gripper head to release the articles onto the platen,and means for moving the released articles off of the platen and ontosaid receiving table.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which the platen is loweredslightly prior to the retracting of the platen.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the platen is tilteddownwardly prior to the retracting of the platen. V

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein there is provided atray-ejecting conveyer constructed and arranged to move the tray 01f ofthe tray remover after the tray remover has been lowered, and means foroperating said ejecting conveyer in timed relation to the lowering ofsaid tray remover.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the platen is providedwith spaced openings and the tray remover is operable through theseopenings to support the tray while the platen is retracted.

8. In apparatus for unloading articles from shipping trays, an articlereceiving table, a stationary gripper head constructed and arranged toreleasably support a charge of articles suspended therefrom with thebottoms thereof at approximately the level of said table, a platendisposed at the same approximate level constructed and arranged tosupport a tray filled with the articles to present said articles to thegripper head for support thereby, means to advance a filled tray ontosaid platen, said platen being retractable to permit downward removal ofthe tray from the articles, a tray remover constructed and arranged tosupport said tray to permit the retracting of the platen, and means forraising and lowering said tray remover.

9. Unloading apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the platen isprovided with spaced openings and the tray remover is operable throughthese openings to support the tray.

10. Unloading apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the platen isprovided with spaced parallel slots and the tray remover with twoedgewise mounted parallel plates which are operable through said slotsto support the tray.

11. In apparatus for unloading articles from.

shipping trays, a stationary gripper head constructed and arranged toreleasably support a charge of articles suspended therefrom, a platenconstructed and arranged to support a tray filled with the articles topresent said articles to the gripper head for support thereby, means toadvance a filled tray onto said platen, said platen being retractable topermit downward removal of the tray, a tray remover constructed andarranged to support said tray to permit the retracting of the platen,means for raising and lowering said tray remover, a vertically movabletray stripping device, and means for moving said device downwardsimultaneously with the lowering of said tray remover to engage the topof the tray and force it away from the suspended articles. I

12. An apparatus for unloading articles as set forth in claim 11 whereinthe article grippers of the gripper head are arranged in parallel rowsand between each two adjacent rows are located two stationary elongatedguides for guiding the upper ends of the articles to the grippers as thefllled tray is advanced onto the platen, said guides being spaced apartto serve also as guides for the tray-stripping devices which arearranged to slide between them.

13. In apparatus for unloading articles from shipping trays having astationary gripper head constructed and arranged to releasably support acharge of articles suspended therefrom, and a platen constructed andarranged to support successive trays filled with the articles to presentthem to the gripper head for support thereby, and alternately with saidfilled trays to support successive charges of the articles removed fromthe respective trays and released by said gripper head, mechanism forremoving a charge of the articles from said platen and simultaneouslyadvancing a succeeding filled tray onto said platen comprising a traysupport at one side of said platen having a tray-timing conveyorassociated therewith, a flight conveyer having a plurality of spacedflight bars one of said bars engaging a tray on said support to move itonto said platen and another of said bars simultaneously engaging thepreviously removed charge of articles on said platen, and a tray-timingdevice for moving trays one at a time onto said support, saidtray-timing conveyer being constructed and arranged to space the frontend of each incoming tray away from the rear end of the preceding trayto allow a flight bar of said flight conveyer to enter behind saidpreceding tray.

14. An apparatus for unloading articles from shipping trays as set forthin claim 13 wherein the flights of the flight conveyer are arranged todescend between the trays on the tray support, and the tray-timingconveyer is provided with a pair of spaced tray engaging members, one tohold back the incoming tray and one to advance the preceding tray, thespacing of said members keeping the two trays apart and allowing theflight bar to pass downwardly between them and engage the rear of thepreceding tray.

15. An apparatus for unloading articles: from shipping trays as setforth in claim 13 in which means are provided for operating the flightconveyer with a step-by-step movement, each advance thereof discharginga removed charge of articles and positioning a fllled tray beneath saidgripper head.

16. An apparatus for unloading articles from shipping trays as set forthin claim 13 wherein mechanism is provided to operate the tray-timingconveyer with a continuous motion.

17. In apparatus for unloading articles from shipping trays, a platenconstructed and arranged to support successive trays filled witharticles, and alternately with said trays to support successive chargesof the articles, and mechanism for removing a charge of the articlesfrom said platen and simultaneously advancing a succeeding filled trayonto said platen comprising a tray support at one side of said platenhav-- ing a tray-timing conveyer associated therewith, a flight conveyerhaving a plurality of spaced flight bars one of said bars engaging atray on said support to move it onto said platen and another of saidbars simultaneously engaging a charge of the articles on said platen,and a traytiming device for moving trays one at a time onto saidsupport, said tray-timing conveyer being constructed and arranged tospace the front end of each incoming tray away from the rear end of thepreceding tray to allow a flight bar of said flight conveyer to enterbehind said preceding tray.

EDGAR ARDELL.

Name Date Hammen Nov. 2, 1948 Number

